WELL& JOURNAL

BY WALLACE CALEB BATES March has come and gone, and I really cannot believe it.  This month, I read several books, most of which focused on or were related to women’s history.  I am astonished by the contributions of women to our society and the way that so many have been overlooked.   As March ends, I am left with a deep appreciation for the women whose stories shaped history. Their voices deserve to be heard, not just in March but all year long.

BY WALLACE CALEB BATES This morning at church, Pastor John spoke about the power of our words and the way we treat people. He reminded us to be careful with what we say. Our words can either build someone up or tear someone down. I have always loved Proverbs 18:21, which says, "Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit." That verse reminds me that what we say really does matter. As someone who studies communication, I see how this plays out in real life. Research shows that kind and loving words can help people feel better, handle stress, and build stronger relationships. On the other hand, harsh or careless words can cause deep hurt. It amazes me how often science supports what the Bible teaches. Long before researchers studied communication, Jesus lived it. Jesus spoke with grace, love, and truth. He showed us how to treat others with care in both word and action. There are so many people today who are hurting, lonely, and overw...

BY WALLACE CALEB BATES Tonight, we had gravy and biscuits for dinner. My grandmother made them in cast-iron skillets passed down from her mother.  They were warm and buttery, just like always. I love them not only because they are good but also because they taste like nostalgia and home. Tradition lives on in the simplest things. Sometimes, it is as plain as what is on the table.

BY WALLACE CALEB BATES Breathitt High School’s cheerleading squad exemplifies the strength and spirit of our community. Under the dedicated guidance of Kera Howard, we have witnessed the team reach remarkable new heights this season. Their participation in nationals and their achievement of the Sweet 16 In-Game championship are milestones that speak to their hard work and determination. As a proud alum of Breathitt High, I have been inspired by how these girls have continually risen to challenges, showcasing not just their talent but also their resilience and unity. They must reflect on this season not only for their victories but also for the bonds they forged and the commitment they demonstrated. Their journey is a testament to the power of teamwork and perseverance. Congratulations to the squad! Our community stands behind you and looks forward to your continued success.

BY WALLACE CALEB BATES I usually write in the evenings, after my day has taught me a lesson or brought a thought to my mind. But this morning, shortly after 6:00 a.m., I knew what I should discuss in this journal entry. We live in a world marked by chaos. The news shows it — and I watch the news frequently, perhaps a bit too much at times. Despite this uncertainty, we have a moral obligation as God's hands and feet to look beyond it. We must seek justice, love mercy, and walk humbly. We must continue caring for the least of these living among us so that they might be fed, clothed, housed, and otherwise cared for. This is not optional work; it is sacred work. And often, it is quiet work. It will not always be praised or even noticed. It may not gather likes or shares. But it matters deeply. When we step into that kind of service, we reflect the heart of Christ, who did not turn away from the hurting, the outcast, or the forgotten. What we do with our time, resources, and influence t...

 BY WALLACE CALEB BATES You know something about being an adult? Productivity is subjective. Take a nap. Two hours in my calendar this evening were devoted to just that: napping. That time was not a break from responsibility; it was preparation for it. The kind of work we do takes time, but it also requires clarity, presence, and energy. So I rested. I closed my eyes. I let the noise settle. Rest is not laziness. It is not avoidance. It is part of the process. The body needs fuel, the mind needs quiet, and the spirit needs space. I have to be awake enough to think clearly. So take it from me: rest via naps, take a walk, or do whatever you need to be ready to return to the busyness. You are not a machine. You are a person. And people need rest.

 BY WALLACE CALEB BATES My iPad planner decided to delete all of my calendar events. I feel so lost without it. I decided to switch platforms and am now using a new application.  The change is sure to disrupt my plans, but I am reminded of the importance of adaptability. Losing my digital calendar felt like losing my bearings. I had trusted it to hold the shape of my days, and when it vanished, so did my sense of order. Switching to a new app is inconvenient, but it has reminded me of something important: I am allowed to begin again. Systems can fail, routines can shift, and I can still move forward. Adaptability is not always elegant, but it is necessary. This reset is a chance to be more intentional—with my time, my tools, and the space I leave unfilled. 

 BY WALLACE CALEB BATES Every day, we have an opportunity to teach someone something. These exchanges of knowledge do not have to be from a place of arrogance but from a place of benefit to those around us. When we inform people by sharing our lived experiences and our perspectives and learning reciprocally from them, we make our world a more caring, connected place. No two people experience the world through the same lens. While we all may be enduring the same storm, we indeed are not floating in the same boat. Some of our boats are sturdy and well-prepared to navigate the tricky waters, while others are weather-worn and barely floating. When we open up about the things that shaped us, like our pain, joy, uncertainty, and victories, we allow others to feel seen. We give each other permission not to have everything figured out. Stories allow us to build bridges across differences and find unexpected common ground. It is not always about having the correct answer or the best advice....

 BY WALLACE CALEB BATES You either get bitter or you get better. When challenging circumstances occur, we have a choice. We can choose to use our pain for good, sharing our stories with others as testimonies of God's goodness and mercy. During church today, I was reminded of that saying. Our faith is one of goodness, one that turns pain into purpose and ashes into beauty. That does not mean the process is easy. Healing is rarely easy, and growth often hurts. But the miracle lies in the fact that God never wastes a wound. God holds every broken piece, every heartache, and every loss. And in time, He weaves it into something greater than we could have imagined on our own. I have seen it in my own life and in the lives of the people I admire most. The kindest, most compassionate, strongest people I know have walked through fire. And somehow, by grace, they came out shining, not untouched but transformed. Bitterness is always an option, but it robs us, narrows our world, and clouds our...

 BY WALLACE CALEB BATES Today, I chose to wear a familiar, old maroon sweater that had been hanging in the back of my closet. The sleeves are stretched, the color is faded, and the stitching is coming loose in places with little tethers barely holding on. But it is still here. It might be threadbare now, but it has never let go. I often think about how some things stay together not because they are strong but because they are stubborn. Generations of our people have held on despite economic uncertainty, unjust working conditions, and being overlooked. There is strength in that, yes, but also a kind of brave stubbornness that refuses to give up. I will not throw out my old sweater. Some sweaters, like some stories, are worth keeping. As a writer, I will continue telling the stories of our Appalachian region and the people who have never unraveled.

 BY WALLACE CALEB BATES I can hardly believe that we are well over halfway through March. 2025 is flying by, and this year has been one of significant progress for me as an individual. I recently noted my use of an iPad to organize my schedule and notes for school, personal and work purposes. Goodnotes allows me to upload PDF documents and take notes directly on them, while Pencil Planner enables me to interact with an online calendar with reminders linked to my iCloud.  At the start of this year, I set a few goals: make my bed each morning, read my Bible each day, read one chapter in a book each day, and journal at least once each day. Thus far, I have achieved these items on my list.  James Clear's Atomic Habits book helped me begin the process of changing my habits. I did not expect how much small habits could change the way I felt that day.  Making my bed each morning is a simple task, but it helps me begin the day with order. It gives me a clear signal that it i...

BY WALLACE CALEB BATES I enjoy traveling, no matter the purpose. Our world has innumerable unique people with stories to tell, and working in public relations allows me to meet them and tell their stories for a living. Today, I did just that.  Each new day is a fresh beginning, a chance to rewrite our own stories with intention and grace. We are not bound by yesterday's mistakes, nor are we limited by the fears that try to hold us back.  Instead, we can choose calm over chaos, patience over frustration, and kindness over indifference. Even the most minor step toward betterment is a victory worth celebrating. Let us meet today with open hearts and clear minds, striving to be more compassionate, more understanding, and more present. The world will always be full of challenges, but we decide how we respond.  May we listen more than we speak, forgive more than we judge, and appreciate more than we complain. If we do better today than we did yesterday, we are moving in the rig...

BY WALLACE CALEB BATES Every day is a new opportunity. Let us choose calm and peace. Let us do better today than yesterday.  Let us embrace kindness, patience, and understanding. Let us move forward with purpose, letting go of yesterday’s burdens and stepping into today’s possibilities.  Even the smallest effort toward goodness makes a difference. May we listen more, react less, and fill our moments with gratitude. May we walk gently, speak kindly, and live fully. Today is ours, so let us make it count.

BY WALLACE CALEB BATES Today is my dog Paw's Guesstimation Day! Given the circumstances of his finding us, we are not sure what day he was born. We guessed today!  When I adopted him around two years ago, he was just a young puppy. He was found on the side of the road, covered in dirt, with worms destroying his tiny body. The first night he was near me, I heard him crying, but I did not realize that he was the one making the noise.  The next day, I took him to the veterinarian for assistance, who gave him medication. He began to grow quickly, walking, barking, and eating food. During his earliest days with us, we had to warm his food in the microwave and add water because he could not chew it.  For the past two years, this wild pup has blessed this world with his feisty personality. He frolics in the yard and chases birds, trees, and random animals that find their way into our yard. He loves to be petted on his head and scratched behind his ears.  My grandfather...

 BY WALLACE CALEB BATES They say that if you enjoy what you do, you will never work a day in your life. I have come to understand the truth in that sentiment. As a young professional, I spend each day supporting an institution I deeply believe in, not just for its mission but also for the communities and students it serves. My role in public relations allows me to amplify the stories that matter, ensuring that education's impact reaches far beyond the walls of a classroom. Higher education is more than degrees and diplomas; it is about transformation, opportunity, and the power of knowledge to change lives. Being part of that process, even in a small way, is what makes my work fulfilling. Not every day is easy, and some challenges require long hours and careful strategy. But when you believe in the work, it does not feel like a burden. It feels like a purpose.

 BY WALLACE CALEB BATES I cannot overstate the importance of an iPad for graduate school. I use mine with an Apple Pencil Pro to take notes, annotate course readings, scan documents for digital submission, and more. The versatility of the iPad is unmatched. As a student during my K-12 years, I never took a vested interest in learning, only doing the minimum to get by. However, studying my interest in communication has allowed me to experience the fun that learning has to offer. Over the past several years, I have grown as a scholar in the field. I first earned my bachelor's degree, and in just a couple of months, I will earn my master's degree and begin a doctoral program. This experience has been nothing short of amazing. But if there is one thing I have learned about academic success, it is that you have to find a rhythm that works for you. No two students are the same, and what works for one person may not work for another.  Some thrive with handwritten notebooks and physic...

BY WALLACE CALEB BATES Earlier today, I enjoyed brunch at East End Table and Tap in Lexington. I chose the strawberry-stuffed waffles with maple syrup, biscuits, and gravy.  I could eat the biscuits and gravy from East End for breakfast every day. They were warm and familiar, like the kind my grandmother has made throughout my life.  After, I had a white chocolate mocha at a local coffee shop, visited the Peddlers Mall, and took a nap.  Each choice I made supported small businesses and strengthened the local economy.   Supporting local businesses is not just about shopping; it is about sustaining our communities. Every dollar spent at a local café, shop, or market helps entrepreneurs, farmers, and artisans thrive. Next time you eat out or shop, consider staying local. It is a simple way to invest in the people and places that make our communities unique. 

BY WALLACE CALEB BATES I cannot overstate the importance of music in my life. From a young age, I have enjoyed listening to varying genres, artists, and albums. Some of my favorites are from my father, such as Stevie Wonder, Jackie Wilson, Kenny Rogers, and Country from the 1990s. Some of my other favorites come from my mother, like Sugarland, The Chicks, Tina Turner, Fleetwood Mac (Stevie Nicks especially), and Lauryn Hill. Over the years, my musical tastes have expanded, shaped by what I grew up with and what I have discovered along the  way. While my parents laid the foundation, my soundtrack includes a diverse array of music. I still remember the excitement of my first concert, Miley Cyrus, at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky. At the time, it was the biggest thing in the world, an experience I will never forget. Since then, I have been lucky enough to see some of my favorite artists perform live. One of the most memorable moments came when I heard Goodbye Earl from The Chicks...

 BY WALLACE CALEB BATES Sometimes, the simplest things showcase their value the most.  On my day off today, I enjoyed a cinnamon roll and a Stanley full of Diet Dr. Pepper, the quiet of my Appalachian holler, and the serenity of my surroundings. I drove my Outback with the windows down and the sunroof open, blasting my playlist while enjoying the sunshine. Today was a good day — nothing extravagant, just full of the things that make life feel whole.

 BY WALLACE CALEB BATES Tough times do not last, but tough people do.  Given the flooding events our community saw, I have thought a lot about this in recent days and weeks. Countless times throughout my life, I have seen people in my home community grapple with devastation, loss, and immense grief.  Despite that, they maintain their deeply rooted faith. It speaks to who we, as Appalachians, are: mountain folks with unrelenting grit and resolve. There is real beauty in that, a kind of beauty that no negative narrative can still, nor any perfect portrayal, incapsulate.  When the going gets tough, we dig deep. We find a sense of resolve instilled in us by previous generations of our families, those whose labor built the developing world around us. I often think about them: coal miners like my great-grandfather, Robert, who stood tall for a world much more extensive than any man. Our country is at a crossroads. We can feel the deep wounds of political and social divisio...

BY WALLACE CALEB BATES As I traveled to and from tonight, I thought about the innate worth we each possess, not the kind we earn, but the type that  is.  Before we ever took our first breath, we were already valuable. No success can add to it, and no failure can take it away. How much different would life be if we truly believed that? If we saw ourselves and others through the lens of unconditional worth, maybe we would be gentler, kinder, and more at peace. So tonight, I remind myself: I have worth, just as I am. And so do you.

 BY WALLACE CALEB BATES I keep positive quotes and Bible verses on my desk to help encourage me throughout the day. As I sat down at my desk earlier, I crossed one that read, "What would you attempt to do if you knew you could not fail?" The question stood out to me because I work each day to walk with boldness and courage, choosing faith over fear during times of uncertainty. But the question goes beyond the daily mundane; instead, it propels our entire existence forward.  Would you go back to school and earn your degree? Would you get married or have children? Would you finally write the book that has been swirling through your head for years? Would you move to a new city? I remember a sign in multiple of my high school classrooms that read, "If you shoot for the moon, you'll land among the stars." That quote rings true, especially in the sense of doing something as if you knew you could not fail.  Even if you do fail, and perhaps because of it, you will learn...

BY WALLACE CALEB BATES This morning, the time change reminded me that the only constant we will ever know is change. Nothing stays the same except for God. While this may be a startling thought — change almost always is — it is also a hopeful one. Just as nothing else stays the same, neither do our troubles. The heartaches that feel so heavy today will not always weigh us down. The burdens we carry, the seasons of waiting, and the uncertainty we face are all temporary.  Change means that even in our most challenging moments, there is the promise of something new ahead. And yet, in a world that shifts like sand beneath our feet, we have an anchor. God is steady when everything else feels uncertain.  He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. His love does not waver, his grace does not run dry, and his promises do not expire. So, when change comes — and it always will — we can face it with faith instead of fear. Even when life feels unpredictable, we serve a God who never cha...

BY WALLACE CALEB BATES I have taken some time this weekend to focus on rest, knowing that caring for myself is the most significant medicine. In doing so, I have read books in celebration of Women's History Month, including those by former first ladies, suffragists, and other trailblazers who have advanced women's rights across our country and this world.   Today is International Women's Day, and I am reminded of the countless women in my life who have personally influenced me. These individuals — from attorneys, nurses, doctors, teachers, grandparents, and church leaders to a myriad of others of varying professions and walks of life — have played an instrumental role in who I am. For that, I am eternally grateful.   As a man, I recognize the importance of using my voice and platform to advocate for a society that genuinely respects and values women. Acknowledging women's contributions in history is not enough; we must actively work to create a culture where all people ...

BY WALLACE CALEB BATES One day, we will look back on today with clearer eyes. Just as we now see past eras, along with those who stood for what was right and those who stayed silent, history will judge how we responded to the struggles of our own time. It is easy to believe we would have stood for what was just or right in the past, but the real question is: What are we doing now? Injustice still thrives. People are still suffering, whether from poverty, displacement, or systemic neglect. Our responsibility is not just to acknowledge it but to act. The most significant measure of our humanity is how we care for the least among us. The struggling mother, the hungry child, and the outcast all deserve our compassion. Living a life we will not regret means standing firm in our values, even when it is hard, even when it costs us something. If we failed to stand up today, we can choose courage tomorrow. What matters is not who we have been, but who we decide to become. Every day is another c...

BY WALLACE CALEB BATES Some days shine bright, easy and full of joy. Others, well, they do not. Maybe we wake up sick, tired or weighed down with things we do not want to face. But even on the most challenging  days, there is goodness to be found. A good day is not about perfect circumstances, feeling strong, or having everything go our way. It is one in which we notice the small mercies, like sunlight slipping through the blinds, the taste of Diet Dr. Pepper, and the sound of rain on the roof. It is in the kindness of a friend, the steady beat of our own heart, and the quiet presence of God, even when we do not feel like much of anything. Psalm 118:24 says, "This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it." It does not say to rejoice only when we feel great or to be glad only when life is easy. It says this is the day, whatever it holds.  God made it, and there is good in it somewhere, somehow.  Even when we are hurting, worn out, or nothing seems to...